The NBHF is held on the last weekend in August in downtown Cresco. 

It includes so many fun activities we can't possibly list them all but they include, live music, Parade, Cruise to Cresco car show, Quilt Auction, and sanctioned Steak Cook-Off contest, just to name a few.

The fest is named in honor of Dr. Norman Borlaug, who grew up on a farm southwest of Cresco and graduated from Cresco High School. He then went on to save millions of lives from starvation and is considered one of world's most important humanitarians. He is one of only seven people in the world to win the Nobel Prize, the Presidential Medal of Freedom and the Congressional Gold Medal. Dr. Borlaug was honored by the State of Iowa in March of 2014 as they placed a statue of him in Statuary Hall at the US Capitol in Washington D.C. 

P.S. Make sure to see the mural honoring Dr. Borlaug and celebrating the importance of agriculture when you come to town.

As a way to further honor Dr. Borlaug's legacy, in 2014 the Norman Borlaug Harvest Fest hosted their first large scale food packaging event where hundreds of volunteers made over 130,000 meals that went towards local Northeast Iowa food banks along with worldwide aide.

THURSDAY, August 24

3-6 pm Open Air Market

4-7pm Tractor Show,

Kids Activities

& FREE meal

FRIDAY, August 25

4:30pm Opening Ceremonies ~ Beadle Park  

5pm - 6:30pm Crestwood High School New Addition Tours 

5pm - 10pm Beer Tent Open ~ Harvest Fest Tent 

6:30pm Puzzle & BINGO Night ~ Harvest Fest Tent

SATURDAY, August 26

7am - 10am VFW Breakfast - VFW Hall

8am - 3pm Cruise to Cresco ~ Downtown

8am - 6pm Steak Cook-Off ~ Beadle Park

9am - 3pm 1st Annual Pickleball Tournament ~ Evans Courts

9am - 4pm Cresco Theatre Open House

9:30am Quilts of Valor ~ Harvest Fest Tent

10am - 6pm Business EIm Street Market

10am - 2pm Tours of Borlaug Farm

11am - 2pm FREE Lunch provided by CUSB ~ CUSB Parking Lot

Live Music by JR Brink Band

11am Quilt Auction ~ Harvest Fest Tent ~ NEW time!

12pm - 4pm Kids Games, Bounce Houses & Petting Zoo ~ CUSB Parking Lot

2pm - 6pm Live Music by Buffalo Alice Band ~ CUSB Parking Lot

3pm Veterans Steak & Pork Loin Dinner serving begins - VFW Hall

4:30pm Harvest Fest Parade ~ NEW route!

5:15pm CUSB 135th Program ~ CUSB Parking Lot;

6:30pm Live Entertainment courtesy of CUSB Harvest Tent

6:30pm - 9pm Cory Farley

9pm - 11pm DJ

SUNDAY, August 27 

8am-12pm Ranch Breakfast - Cresco Country Club

9am-1:30pm Steak Cook-Off & Kids Q - Beadle Park

12:30 pm Veterans Steak Dinner - VFW Hall

2pm - Ice Cream Social - Kellow House

Date: August 25-27, 2023

Location:  Downtown Cresco

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